Master study program Conservation and restoration is based within the educational-artistic field of Arts, academic discipline of  Applied Art and Design, and contains all of the elements required by Law.

The aim of the study program is to allow students to consolidate acquired  knowledge relevant to professional work in the field of cultural heritage protection, and to further develop the necessary personal qualities in order to prepare themselves  for possible continuation of their education.

Academic and professional title acquired at the end of study is: Master conservator and restorer. Detailed specification of the acquired professional competence and the awarded qualification is described in the diploma supplement for one of the two possible orientations, i.e. specialized artistic fields.

• Conservation and restauration of paintings and art on paper
• Conservation and restauration of sculptures and archaeological objects.

Each module is further divided into two basic groups of elective courses: pedagogical and expert. The pedagogical group, in addition to the expert core courses, contains social science/humanities and pedagogical courses which present a student with the qualifications required for teaching in primary and secondary schools. The expert-oriented group has an emphasis on expert courses, with larger number of classes.

Upon approval of the thesis topic and mentor, the thesis work is undertaken during the second semester. After completing the thesis work at the end of the semester and academic year, a candidate defends  the thesis (degree examination) before a commitee. In order to complete the studies students must achieve at least 60 ECTS, fulfill all obligations required by the curriculum and successfully defend the thesis.

The school year is divided into two semesters, with each term lasting 15 working weeks. An educational content of 1 ECTS is realized by 30 hours of student workload.

The study program consists of modules that contain required core courses, electives and thesis.
The main theoretical and artistic courses, important for the final orientation and choice of topic that the student addresses through research and work on independent Thesis, are set within each module. Elective courses present in both modules allow students to broaden their knowledge according to personal preferences, and are defined by the curriculum The selection of elective courses is determined by the Study Regulations.

All courses are one semester long. The structure of each course is described in the course specification, which includes: number of ECTS credits allocated per course, prerequisites for enrollment, objective, outcome, theoretical and practical content, literature, weekly number of active teaching, teaching methods, as well as the modes of continuous assessment of knowledge. A detailed description of the assessment and final evaluation is defined by the Study Regulations

Applicant to the studies program must meet the following requirements: completed academic undergraduate studies of Conservation and Restoration or a related program, with obtained equivalence. The completion of undergraduate academic studies of Conservation and Restoration with appropriate orientation gives candidates an advantage upon enrollment.

The protection of cultural monuments and cultural heritage is a primary issue
of every society, because of the important role that cultural heritage
plays in its formation and development.

Study program – Conservation and restoration is a starting point for the education of a conservator-restorer, an expert who is, upon completion of  studies, competent and qualified for independent research and practical work in the field of cultural heritage protection.

As an ancient artistic activity and skill, conservation-restoration always went hand-in-hand with great artistic, architectural, cultural and historic achievements, extending their lifetime.
This specific activity stops the destructive processes with its methods, by applying broad knowledge of all applied arts technologies, painting techniques, as well as technologies from other industries. It researches and interprets all the destructive and other processes that occur on an artwork, ranging from the choice of materials used for its creation to the moment when the conditions to which it has been exposed bring out the need for  its conservation and restoration. This activity requires high artistic abilities, general knowledge and creativity, it is multidisciplinary and includes several professions.

Contemporary conservation and restoration became a symbiosis of art and science, expanding its activities to all sorts of cultural goods: architectural and monumental heritage, natural environment, archaeological sites, museum objects, archival and library materials, cinematographic material and intangible heritage. The increasing involvement of science in conservation practice is consequential to the need to use exact methods in order to detect and eliminate the causes of deterioration of works of art and to find reliable methods for their rehabilitation. Therefore, the insistence that restorers-conservators gain broad interdisciplinary professional education is an absolute necessity in order to maintain the harmony between art and science in this profession.

Considering that professional education in the field of conservation and restoration has an essential role in solving the complex problems that arise in protection of cultural goods, in 1978 the Faculty of Arts in Belgrade included courses in this field of study in the curriculum of the undergraduate studies (fourth and fifth year) at the Department of Wall Painting. Realizing the real need for human resources in the field of cultural heritage, in 2003 the Faculty of Applied Arts made a decision to establish the Department of Conservation and Restoration.

The purpose of the master study Conservation and Restoration is the acquisition of the necessary competencies and professional qualifications for practicing conservation and restoration, that is the protection of cultural heritage. Successful completion of the study program confers the title: Graduated conservator and restorer, which allows students , in accordance with their selected orientation (Conservation and restoration of paintings and works of art on paper and Conservation and restoration of sculptures and archaeological objects),
to provide for themselves, or continue their education and further professional development, applying the acquired knowledge and unified understanding, skills and creative abilities.